The General Sherman Statue at the Grand Plaza

Day One Hundred and Sixteen: Walking the Streets of the lower part of the Upper East Side from East 72nd to East 59th Streets June 3rd-August 10th, 2018

It took several weeks to cover the lower part of the Upper East Side. The weather has started to get hotter and now with the Summer here, you have to deal with more humidity. That’s why I like to discover where all the public bathrooms are located in the City. When you drink as much water as I do on these trips, it can become the most important part of the walk (outside the great restaurant find or interesting historic site). You need to know your priorities when you walk the City especially when the temperature hits in the mid 90’s.

Walking the Upper East Side has its extremes in housing and architecture as it moves east from Central Park to the river. Here and there are little ‘treasures’ of buildings and places of business that pop up from block to block. As the weather has gotten hotter and more humid, I have taken my time to really walk the streets of the neighborhood and explore it properly. That is why it has taken so long to finish. There are a lot of great things to see on the lower part of the Upper East Side.

My walk took me to East 59th Street starting at Grand Army Plaza at the statue of General Sherman, which is a big meeting and tourist site right off the edge of Midtown near the Plaza and Pierre Hotels. Many tourists meet their buses here and it is the southern entrance to the Central Park Zoo and then onto Central Park. On a hot day, many people were sitting on the benches in the shade.

The Statue of General Sherman was created by American and New York artist Augustus St. Gaudens in 1892 and finished it in 1903. He modeled the bust after the General who lived in New York City at that time after the Civil War. Mr. Saint-Gaudens was an American artist who specialized in American Renaissance and Beaux-Arts design whose concentration was in monument sculpture. He studied as an apprentice under artists while at Cooper Union and National Academy of Design and continuing at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

Augustus St. Gaudens artist

Augustus Saint-Gaudens Artist

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augustus-Saint-Gaudens

General Sherman distinguished himself during the Civil War with his army taking Atlanta and then marched to the Atlantic to cut off the South (Central Park Conservatory).

General Sherman Statue

The Statue of General Sherman at the edge of Central Park

In 2015, the Northern part of the Grand Army Plaza was restored by the Central Park Conservatory which included cleaning the statue and applying a layer of gold leaf covered with wax on the outside. The rest of the plaza was landscaped with new trees and is now ADA accessible (Central Park Conservatory).

This gilded statue now serves as a welcome to the southern part of the park as well as a focal point to the plaza. It sits majestically almost guarding the park from intruders. The interesting part of its placement here is that the Sherman family wanted it placed here after they rejected Riverside Drive near Grant’s Tomb (See VistingaMuseum@Wordpress.com)(Central Park Conservatory).

East 59th Street is a busy part of the neighborhood with a bevy of upscale stores, restaurants and hotel plus a meeting point for buses loaded with tourists and the carriage trade around the park. Central Park is a huge draw to people sunning themselves on the lawns and going to the zoo, playgrounds and the carousel.

I love walking around this area looking at the luxury stores and walking around the Pierre and Plaza hotels, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately because of recent occurrences, the security at the hotels becomes a point of harassment where you can’t even walk around to look at the displays in public areas anymore.

Pierre Hotel.jpg

Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street of Fifth Avenue

https://www.thepierreny.com/

https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj/the-pierre-new-york/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pierre

Also, the economy and rent increases have hit this area just as hard as the rest of the City and even the upscale stores of Fifth, Madison and Park Avenues have moved to either less choicer areas or have taken root on Lexington or Third Avenues, making them now more expensive. The old brownstone homes and businesses that used to line the Avenues (See the Avenue walks of the Upper East Side on previous ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’ entries) have given way to modern office and apartment buildings with not as much character and space. They rent mostly to the chain stores that can afford it.

I started my first day after a long day in the Soup Kitchen. They put me on the busy Bread Station where we could barely keep up with demand. Sometimes I feel the homeless and the working poor are acting entitled, like the Bread Station is some sort of Starbucks and we should have exactly what they want to eat. When one guy came down hard on us one afternoon I kindly reminded him that the food here is donated and distribute out what we get. It’s not like we order the bread. It is very generously donated by Amy’s Bread and Rockland Bakery. That’s why I like walking around so much, it gets that irritation out of my system as I realize that it is not there fault.

After Soup Kitchen, I decided on eating a few snacks before I came uptown. Before I got to Soup Kitchen, I stopped at Shamas Deli, a tiny little hole in the wall deli at 150 West 38th Street (See review on TripAdvisor). I had passed this place a million times over the years and decided that I needed an bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. It was okay but for $3.25, I thought it was fair. Not the prettiest place but it serves its customers well.

Shamus Deli

Shamus Deli in the Garment District at 150 West 38th Street

https://shamasdeli.netwaiter.com/

After Soup Kitchen, I like to go to Fu Xing at 273 West 38th Street (See reviews on TripAdvisor.com and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com) for cream and roast pork buns ($1.25) for a quick snack and then for lunch at Non Solo Piada at 302 West 37th Street for lunch. They specialize in Roman street food and make an egg, Italian sausage and cheese wrap called a Cassoni, which is almost like a calzone. Their prices are very reasonable (See reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com)and their selection of tiny pizzas and calzone like sandwiches are not just delicious but reasonable. These two restaurants cater to the Garment Industry crowd who look for a reasonable lunch and thank God, I found them as well. I highly recommend them.

Non Solo Piada

Non-Solo Piada at 302 West 37th Street

https://www.nonsolopiadanyc.com/

I walked up to East 59th Street via Fifth Avenue and even in the Herald Square area you can see that it is quickly gentrifying. All these old buildings that were once whole-sellers for the Garment Industry have made way for hotels and fancy condos.

Even Fifth Avenue changes from the New York Library on up. It used to be that from East 34th Street to East 59th Streets, there were all of these exclusive stores starting with B. Altman’s at Fifth and East 34th Street ending with the Pierre Hotel at East 60th Street.

Now it looks like a cross between North Michigan Avenue in Chicago and the Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus. The stores and restaurants are more moderate as well as there are many empty store fronts which you would not have seen pre-2008. Now prime upscale real estate sits empty.

Things are changing as you get to the Upper East Side border as well. The stores are still nice but not as exclusive as in the past. I still take a short cut through Bloomingdale’s at 1000 Third Avenue at East 59th Street.

Bloomingdales NYC II

Bloomingdale’s at 1000 Third Avenue

https://www.bloomingdales.com/

It is fun to look at the displays or have lunch at Flip, on the bottom level or 40 Carrots for frozen yogurt (See reviews on TripAdvisor). When the humidity starts, this is where I like to go to cool off and they have nice bathrooms on the bottom level and on the Forth Floor.

Bloomingdale’s has some great restaurants. I have been to Flip on the lower level of the Men’s Department twice for lunch when walking in the neighborhood. Their Heritage Burger and fries ($19.00) is delicious. The burger was perfectly cooked and topped with onions and cheese. The second time I ate there, I tried their Flip Signature Grilled Cheese, which was a combination of three cheeses, bacon, jalapenos peppers (which it could have done without) served with shoe string fries ($16.00). This was a nice combination of flavors and with the fried egg added it gave it a nice complexity of flavors. It would make a nice brunch item.

Flip Bloomingdales.jpg

Flip Restaurant inside Bloomingdale’s

https://locations.bloomingdales.com/flip-59th-st-ny

I have written many times on 40 Carrots on Eighth Floor for their frozen yogurt and on a humid day, which there were many of during this part of the walk, it made going to the Eight floor of Bloomingdale’s well worth it (See all reviews on TripAdvisor).

As I walk past the store fronts and apartment buildings, I am greeted at the end of East 59th Street at Andrew Haswell Green Park by the Queensboro Bridge to look at the sculpture, the East River Roundabout by Alice Aycock again (See Walking the Avenues of the Upper East Side on ‘MywalkinManhattan.com). It is a nice place to just relax and watch the East River go by. There are nice seats to sit down and relax in.

Andrew Haswell Green Park.jpg

Andrew Haswell Park off East 59th Street

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/andrew-haswell-green-park

Andrew Haswell Green II

Andrew Haswell Green

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Haswell_Green

Below the bridge, there is 24 Sycamores Park between East 61st and 60th Streets. It is a nice place on a hot day to sit under a tree and cool off. They also have nice bathrooms and a great water fountain with cool NYC tap water to fill the water bottles up with on a humid day. It is a very popular park for the neighborhood children and their babysitters so that means a lot of noise. It is a real family environment.

24 Sycamore Park.jpg

Twenty-Four Sycamores Park at 501 East 60th Street

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/twenty-four-sycamores-park/history

Since I was meeting a good friend later that evening for dinner and a stay in Long Island City, I decided to walk the length of the Queensboro Bridge to Long Island City neighborhood in Queens, NY. That was interesting. The walk over the bridge led me to downtown Long Island City but along the way I passed over Roosevelt Island, the projects that face the park in Long Island City and then into a very gentrifying Long Island City. I swear the entire neighborhood is being knocked down and rebuilt from ground up. All over the place there are apartment and office buildings.

Queensboro Bridge II

The Queensboro Bridge on the border of The Upper East Side and Sutton Place at East 59th Street

https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/infrastructure/queensboro-bridge.shtml

I spent most of my time walking over the bridge dodging joggers and bicyclist while watching what I was seeing in front of me. What a view of the City! The Manhattan skyline is just breathtaking from the bridge and you get a perfect view of the Upper East Side. I am convinced it is better to live in Roosevelt Island than on the Manhattan itself just for the view. I still can’t believe they built projects with a view of the river and the Upper East Side skyline. That’s the progress of the 60’s.

When I got to the other side, I walked around the area to see a rapidly changing environment. Bike paths were all over the place and smaller buildings were giving way to what looks like another city. I was floored with all this progress and square footage in such a small period of time. Even the next morning when I walked around, I could not believe how much of the neighborhood was being leveled giving way to  Long Island City becoming almost a new city on its own. It seems to be happening overnight.

When I walked back over the bridge I walked directly back to the other side of East 59th Street and walked to the theater district to join my friend, Maricel and her friends for dinner at Viv Thai at 717 Ninth Avenue between West 48th and 49th Streets (See review on TripAdvisor). It is the most beautifully designed restaurant with interesting lighting and an enormous dragon to greet you at the door.

Viv Thai Restaurant

Viv Thai Restaurant at 717 Ninth Avenue

https://www.vivthainyc.com/

The food here is excellent! We shared a Fried Calamari with sweet sauce that was perfectly cooked and I had the Pad Thai with chicken which was flavorful with a generous portion of chicken and noodles.

After a quick drink, Maricel and I went to the Fairfield Inn in Long Island City at 2927 40th Road (See review on TripAdvisor), right near where I had taken the walk at the Queensboro Bridge. I was so exhausted from all the walking over the bridge and the rest of the neighborhood, that I went out like a light as soon as I hit the pillow. So much for engaging in conversation.

Fairfield Inn Long Island CIty II

The Fairfield Inn in Long Island City at 2927 40th Street

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycqn-fairfield-inn-and-suites-new-york-queens-queensboro-bridge/

The irony was that I had just explored the area just a few hours before. While Maricel slept in the next morning, I explored the area in more detail and the whole neighborhood it seems is being torn down and rebuilt as almost a second city. After the hotel’s buffet breakfast (pretty good), I checked out and took the bus home. Enough walking for those two days.

Fairfield Inn Long Island City

The Breakfast Room inside the Fairfield Inn in Long Island City

I resumed my walk around the Streets of the neighborhood two days later starting on East 60th Street and then I worked my way up through the neighborhood. There is a lot to see and do in these many blocks. The neighborhood is rapidly changing and in the short time since I have walked the Upper and Middle parts of the Upper East Side many businesses have closed their doors and the store front remains empty.

Long Island City Skyline.jpg

The ever changing skyline of Long Island City

East 60th Street with its juxtaposed architecture offers a few gems amongst the newer construction. You just have to look up. When rounding 5th Avenue and East 60th Street take time to look at the architecture of the Metropolitan Club, one of the oldest and most exclusive private clubs in the city. The marble work on the club’s exterior has an elegant, polished look to it. The building was designed by Stanford White for the club which was founded in 1891 (Wiki).

Metroplitan Club

Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue at One East 60th Street

https://www.metropolitanclubnyc.org/

Between Lexington and Third Avenues on East 60th Street, look to your left as you are approaching Third Avenue and you will see the original entrance to Bloomingdale’s Department Store. This entrance has been incorporated into the current store and notice the mansard roof which was part of the original design of the store when it was founded in the late 1880’s.

Bloomindales NYC

The original entrance to Bloomingdale’s on East 60th Street

On the corner of Lexington Avenue and 60th Street, there is a small brownstone attached to a modern building. This was the home of an old woman who owned the last apartment in the building and had lived there for years. She was the reason why the building is still there as they had to build the current building around her.

The Brownstone at Lexington Avenue and East 60th Street

The Brownstone the lady would not move out of for the building behind it.

She was quoted as saying she would not move for any price as it gave her proximity to Bloomingdale’s. When she died when the current building was finished, the owners simply padlocked the brownstone and there is still stands as a symbol of corporate defiance.

On the corner of 2nd Avenue and 60th Street is Tony and Joe’s Pizza at 1097 First Avenue near East 60th Street (See review on TripAdvisor), an old line neighborhood establishment. I stopped in for a snack and had a slice of pizza and a coke ($4.95). The pizza is pretty good and the staff had their eyes glued to the soccer game that was on TV. It’s a nice place for lunch.

I took another break in the 24 Sycamore Trees Park and need a rest in the shade because of the heat. The humidity was really getting to me. The one thing I like about this park is that there is plenty of places to sit under the trees, they have decent public bathrooms that they keep clean and are open until 5:00pm and they have a great water fountain that spurts out cool, New York tap water which is great when filling your water bottle. Its just nice to relax here.

When making your way to East 61st Street, you will pass the decorative structure of the Queensboro Bridge, with all its geometric designs on the exterior. This is where you can enter the walkway to walk or bike to Long Island City. If you have a chance to do this, take in the beautiful views of the river and the Upper East Side skyline and at the end of the walkway, walk around Long Island City to see the creation of a new city from the ground up.

Queensboro Bridge

Queensboro Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensboro_Bridge

Right near the entrance to the Bridge is the Mount Vernon Hotel & Garden at 421 East 61st Street (See TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com), a much-overlooked historic home/hotel built in 1799. The museum is run and owned by the Colonial Dames of America. This very overlooked historic building and museum was once the home to Abigail Adams Smith, the daughter of the President John Adams. There is a very interesting one-hour tour ($8.00) of the museum.

The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum was a ‘day hotel’ which meant that City dwellers, mostly the growing middle class, would come up to the hotel for the day for lunch or tea and recreational pursuits. You would spend the afternoon in the formal parlors for games, music and readings. The tour takes you through all the rooms, dining rooms and kitchen. It is an interesting tour if you like historical buildings. Don’t miss the beautiful gardens in the back of the building (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).

mount vernon hotel museum.jpg

Mount Vernon Hotel & Gardens at 421 East 61st Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vernon_Hotel_Museum

There is an interesting waterfall that lines the building on the corner of Third Avenue and East 61st Street. You tend to miss these public spaces if you are not looking at them. As you walk from Second Avenue to Park Avenue, you enter the Treadwell Farm Historic District.

The Treadwell Farm Historic District was founded in 1967, making it one of the oldest in the City. The district extends from Second to Third Avenues between East 61st to East 62nd Street. This had been once part of the Treadwell family farm which was bought by Adam Treadwell in 1815 from the Van Zandt and Beekman families, who had owned the land previously. In 1854, the family sold the land for development. This happened between 1868-1875 and the they were building Italianate row houses, some still standing today (Wiki).

Treadwell Farm Historic District.jpg

Treadwell Farm Historic District on the Upper West Side

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treadwell_Farm_Historic_District

You will notice that on the side streets from Third Avenue to Fifth Avenue and from East 59th Street to East 79th Street are part of the East Side Historic District which was founded in 1981. According to their Friends Group, it is one of the largest Historic Districts in New York City. This area cover a whole array of architectural types from the grand mansions near Fifth and Park Avenues to the limestone, brownstone and detailed apartment buildings that line block after block of the district (Friends of the Upper East Side Historic District).

When exploring and admiring these buildings in both historic districts, really look up to see the details to these homes. Here and there residents have added plantings and artwork to the fronts of their homes. The growth of vines up the walls and statuary really adds to the detail of these buildings.

When rounding East 62nd Street, I came across the beauty of 36 East 62nd Street with it’s gorgeous stone work, interesting keystones over the windows in the form of faces staring at the street and intricate iron work. This interesting building was designed in 1917 for the Links Club, a golfing club, by the firm of Cross & Cross for the club. The faces really do stare at you when you pass the building but remember to look up and take time to look at the details.

links club.jpg

36 East 62nd Street (Links Club)

https://www.thelinksclub.org/

Another historical building is the Cumberland House at 30 East 62nd Street on was once of the home of President Teddy Roosevelt as the plaque states on the building. This luxury apartment building offers many luxury features and stands guard in this historical neighborhood.

I stopped for lunch at the Ritz Diner at 1133 First Avenue #1 and the corner of East 62nd Street. The food was so-so. I was surprised for the reviews it has gotten online. I had one of their lunch specials ($12.95) for a bowl of Matzo Ball soup and a Gyro wrap sandwich. The soup was delicious, rich in flavor and the matzo ball was light as a feather.

Their gyro wrap I would avoid. It was a large soggy mess with too much iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. The sauce in it made it even soggier than the cut tomatoes and the whole thing fell apart. I checked the reviews online and it seems that the restaurant does breakfast best.

As I rounded East 63rd Street, I finished for the day. Between the heat, the walking  and the afternoon at the Soup Kitchen, I had enough for the afternoon. This more time to explore the neighborhood with a fresh mind.

On my third day in the Upper East Side, I started my day with another long day putting my culinary skills together to work in the Prep Kitchen. We had loads of vegetables to prep for lunch for the next two days so we were all kept busy that afternoon. Surprisingly, I had the energy to walk up to East 63rd Street to continue the walk.

The first thing to check out is the Lowell Hotel at 28 East 63rd Street at Madison Avenue. This elegant little hotel is one of the ‘Leading Hotel’s of the World’ and whose architecture is elegant and inviting. The potted plants and well appointed doorman really give it that European looking touch.

Lowell Hotel.jpg

Lowell Hotel at 28 East 63rd Street

https://www.lhw.com/hotel/The-Lowell-New-York-NY

Along the way while walking down East 63rd Street, look up and admire the buildings that line the area from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue. The historic district offers all sorts of interesting townhouses to admire.

At the very end of East 63rd Street you will reach the bottom of Rockefeller University and the entrance to the ramp that leads to the walkway that lines the East River. Take time to walk up the ramp and walk up and down the Riverwalk. The views of Roosevelt Island on a beautiful day are just breathtaking.

Rockeller University

Rockefeller University (you have to be checked in to get on campus)

https://www.rockefeller.edu/

At 101 East 63rd Street, you will see a modern slick brownstone looking glass building named ‘The Halston House’, which was once the home of the New York designer, Halston. Many of the designers legendary parties and get togethers of the Studio 54 crowd took place here according to local legend (Wiki).

Halson House.jpg

Halston House at 101 East 63rd Street

What to Know About Halston’s Party House

I visited the Society of Illustrators at 128 East 63rd, a small museum dedicated to the art of comics and illustrations both the whimsical and serious. I had never heard of the museum before, so I toured the whole museum. I got to see the “Kent State” shooting exhibition of the 1970’s and the “Eric Godal: Fighting for Human Rights” exhibition (See Reviews on VisitingaMusuem.com).

Society of Illustrators

Society of Illustrators at 128 East 63rd Street

Walking on East 64th Street was routine until you arrive at the edge of York Avenue and you start to peak into the Rockefeller University campus. Unlike the other blocks, it just seemed like a row of buildings and stores. This is when newer architecture shows its lack of character of the ‘brownstone blocks’.

Crossing over to East 65th Street, you will notice the historic signs of the twin Roosevelt Houses at 47-49 East 65th Street. This is the New York home of Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt and their children and Franklin’s mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt. The home was finished in 1908 and the President and Eleanor moved into #49 while Mrs. Roosevelt moved into the adjoining #47 house.

Roosevelt House.jpg

Roosevelt House at 47-49 East 65th Street

Home

The house was their city residence while Springwood in the Hudson River Valley served as their country estate. This is where Franklin started his political run and Eleanor got more involved in her own career in public life entertaining many famous political and foreign  visitors. The house remained in the family’s hands until the death of Sara Delano Roosevelt in 1941 and the house was bought by Hunter College where it is now part of the Public Policy Institute of Hunter College. There are tours of the house during the schools year on Saturdays.

As you head towards Fifth Avenue, you will find the Kosciuszko Foundation at 15 East 65th Street. The interesting part of this Foundation is that it was named in honor of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Polish general and patriot who migrated to the United States and fought in the Revolutionary War. The one time Polish American Scholarship Committee was established in 1923 to bring students to the United States. The building was designed by Harry Allan Jacobs for James J. Van Alen, who was a member of the Astor family (Wiki).

Kosciuszko Foundation

Kosciuszko Foundation Building at 15 East 65th Street

https://www.thekf.org/kf/about/contact/

When rounding onto East 66th Street, there are many interesting stone townhouses that line both sides of the street. One of them being the home of artist Andy Warhol at 57 East 66th Street, where the artist lived with his mother from 1974 until his death in 1987. The Historical Landmark  Preservation Center erected the plaque in honor of the artist in 1998. It is the first memorial to the artist in New York City.

Andy Warhol House.jpg

Andy Warhol House at 57 East 66th Street

Toward Fifth Avenue at 6 East 66th Street is the home of the Lotus Club, one of the oldest Literary Clubs in the United States founded in 1870. The French Renaissance style building was built in 1900 by Richard Howland Hunt for the home of Maria Shepard, a granddaughter of William H. Vanderbilt. Notice all the detail work on the outside of the old mansion, which was going through a cleaning when I passed it.

Lotus Club.JPG

The Lotus Club building at 6 East 66th Street

https://www.lotosclub.org/

At 3 East 66th Street, there is a plaque dedicated to President Ulysses S. Grant as the site of the house where the President wrote his memoirs. It has since been replaced by a stone apartment building. I stopped here for the day as I was pooped from this part of the walk of the neighborhood.

My last full trip of the neighborhood took me from the top portion of East 66th Street to the bottom of East 72nd Street. I had had a long day working the Bread Station at the Soup Kitchen and walked from West 27th Street to East 66th Street via Fifth Avenue so I got to see more of the City as planned.

I walked East 66th Street again and there is more interesting architecture to see along the street. At 45 East 66th Street, look up to see the detailed Gothic architecture and details toward the top of the building. You see more of this type of Gothic architecture at the Park Avenue Armory which stretches from Park Avenue to Lexington Avenue the former home of the Seventh Regiment of the National Guard and was designed by Charles W. Clinton, a former regiment member. It is now used for entertainment.

Park Armory.jpg

Park Avenue Armory at 45 East 66th Street

https://www.armoryonpark.org/

There is a lot of beauty to the old carriage houses from 110-112 East 66th Street and  were probably the carriage houses and stables to the old Fifth Avenue mansions. These brick buildings  with their arched fronts and key stones have since been converted into private homes.

At 122-124 East 66th Street look up to admire the interesting iron grilling work with its almost southern looking accents at the top. The design is done in graceful ovals along the grill work. The building is home to the Cosmopolitan Club that was founded in 1909.

On the corner of East 66th Street and Second Avenue in the courtyard of the Sloan-Kettering entrance to the hospital there is an interesting sculpture by artist Barbara Pepper called “MSKCC Twist” that the artist created in 2017.

MSKCC Twist by Barbara Pepper

Barbara Pepper artist

‘More Energy Than Anyone I Have Ever Known’: A Critic Remembers Beverly Pepper, Sculptor Extraordinaire

Ms. Pepper was born in Brooklyn, NY and had studied at Pratt Institute, the Art Student’s League in New York and Brooklyn College and had studied aboard in Paris.  She started to specialize in metal work in the 1960’s and her works were known to be outdoor sculptures (Wiki).

When rounding East 67th Street, stop at the New York Blood Center to visit their memorial to the victims of 9/11 just outside the building. The little metal footsteps by the wall are pretty touching and show that the tragedy is not forgotten in any part of New York City.

When walking further down the street, you will reach the twisted statue by artist Tony Cragg, Runner 2017, a creative twisted sculpture that sits on the Park Avenue island surrounded by flowers.

Tony Cragg is from England and studied art at the Gloucestershire College of Art. He uses a combination of synthetic and natural elements to this art and it show in this twisted beauty of a sculpture that looks almost like a moving tornado.

Tony Cragg artist

Artist Tony Cragg

https://www.tony-cragg.com/

His work is part of the NYC Parks ‘Art in the Parks Program’, bringing temporary contemporary art to the parks (NYC Parks.org).  Mr. Cragg’s works appear in five different locations on Park Avenue.

Tony Cragg Park Avenue statue

Tony Cragg Sculpture

Another interesting piece of sculpture is on Fifth Avenue and East 67th Street on the edge of Central Park. It is the statue of Seventh Regiment of New York 107th US Infantry’, whose building on Park Avenue I passed many times when crisscrossing the neighborhood.

107 Infantry Sculpture

The 107 Infantry Statue on Fifth Avenue

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/monuments/1136

http://www.askart.com/artist/Karl_Illava/130018/Karl_Illava.aspx

It was designed by member of the Regiment, sculpture Karl Illava in 1927. Mr. Illava it was said drew from his experience from serving in the field of the Regiment and used his own hands as the model for the ‘doughboys’ he depicted (NYC Parks.org). I find it fascinating how many times we pass these sculptures in Central Park without ever stopping to notice them.

Walking past the New York Police Department Precinct 19 and Fire Department of New York Ladder 16 and Engine 28 and admire the beauty of the buildings that they are housed in and the surprise of the buildings are that they are part of Hunter College.

Police Sergeant Nathaniel Bush, who was responsible for designing the force’s new station houses from 1862-1895, laid out the plans for the station. It was a four-story Italian edifice of red brick with bluestone copings and Terra cotta trimmings and used the combined styles of Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Neo-Greco and Renaissance Revival.

The FDNY building, which was designed in 1886 by architect Napoleon LeBrun, was originally the FDNY Department Headquarters until it moved down to Centre Street, now it just houses the companies. (Ladder 16 history). In 1980, the buildings were declared by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to landmark status (Daytonian New York)

In 1986, when Hunter College wanted to expand the college, there was an agreement to preserve the façade of both buildings and renovate them. A new building was built in the back and the facade’s of the front buildings were preserved to landmark status. The renovations were complete in 1992 with the Hunter portion separate from the civic buildings and the police station uses the the upper floors of the old fire station. These buildings were re-designed as a landmark in 1998 (Daytonian New York).

Police District 19 building.jpg

Police District 19 Building

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/precincts/19th-precinct.page

When walking back to the East River on East 67th Street, take a break in St. Catherine’s Park between East 67th and 68th Streets off First Avenue. It is nice place to take a break and sit down but by no means quiet especially in the summer months that I was walking the neighborhood. Children were running all over the park, chasing one another while parents and nannies traded stories on the benches and under the trees trying to escape the afternoon sun. It has a very nice playground and loads of benches to sit back and relax on.

The end of the block by York Avenue houses the hospitals of Sloan-Kettering and Cornell-Weill and this complex covers from First Avenue to FDR Drive from East 67th Street to East 71st Street. This is a busy area around York Street with ambulances and cars all over the place and security is high. The Cornell-Weill building still is something to see with its large cathedral looking exterior and gardens for guests to relax in the front. Don’t think of lingering as security is all over the place. The same goes for Rockefeller University at the end of York Avenue. You need a pass to go through the gates to walk on their landscaped campus.

As you turn the corner to East 68th Street, head back to the Hunter College campus between Park and Lexington Avenues and stop in the Karl & Bertha Leubsdorf Gallery at 132 East 68th Street (See TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com), one of several art galleries that are part of the Hunter College campus.

Hunter Art Gallery

The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery-The Hunter Art Gallery at 132 East 68th Street

http://www.leubsdorfgallery.org/

There was a very interesting exhibition of West Coast LGBT art from the 70’s on display at this small but edgy gallery on the main campus. The best part is that the gallery is free to the public and the gallery takes less than an hour to view so it’s not over whelming.

Hunter College Gallery.jpg

Hunter College Gallery at 132 East 68th Street

If you are hungry, there are all sorts of food trucks parked outside the main entrance to the building of Hunter College. Their selection of all sorts of foods cater to the student palate and include hot dogs, Halal foods, hamburgers and fries. All of this for under $10.00.

As you head back to Central Park between Park and Fifth Avenues, you will notice that this area is under all sorts of scaffolding and there is a lot of renovation work on the buildings going on here.  A lot of the stone work is being sandblasted back to its original beauty and the homes are getting gutted for present or new owners.

Heading back to Fifth Avenue admire the almost confection of a marble townhouse at 35 East 68th Street with its curbed windows, grill iron work and Queen-Anne decorations. A similar home is at 40 East 68th Street. This large mansion by the park has ornate details and lavish decorations around the windows and roof.

35 east 68th street.jpg

35 East 68th Street

https://streeteasy.com/building/35-east-68-street-new_york

When making the turn around Central Park, stop for a rest under the trees on one of the many benches that line the path on Fifth Avenue. Its nice to stop and people watch in this area.

When walking down East 69th Street, there are a series of stables from 147-161 East 69th Street that have now been converted into homes. These rare structures are a holdover similar to other blocks off Fifth Avenue that used to cater to the elite mansion dwellers.  These small buildings were located close enough to their owners but far enough away to not bother them (NY Times 2014). These small structures have now been converted into homes and studios. The stable at 159 East 69th Street was owned by John Sloane of the Sloane Department Store family and the stable at 157 East 69th Street was owned by artist Mark Rothko, who took his life there in 1970.

Carriage houses on East 72nd Street

Carriage Houses on the Upper East Side

The most picturesque part of the of East 69th Street is when you walk between First and Second Avenues on a beautiful tree-lined block of homes full of character and many styles. It is full of marble and brownstone townhouses which have been restored by their owners. It just looks like a neighborhood. I stopped here for the day and relaxed at St. Catherine’s Park. Between all the walking and the heat I was exhausted.

Before I walked the rest of the neighborhood a few days later, I decided to double back to the upper part of the Upper East Side and take a free tour of Gracie Mansion, the home of the Mayor of New York City and his family (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com). On a beautiful day being next to the river, there is nothing like this tour.

Gracie mansion

Gracie Mansion in Carl Schurz Park

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracie_Mansion

The house is now located in Carl Schurz Park but originally it was part of the estate of Archibald Gracie, a prosperous merchant, who used this as his country home (See write up on VisitingaMuseum.com).  The house was built in the Federalist style in 1799. The house was in the family’s hands until 1823 when Archibald Gracie had to see the house to pay off debts. The house had many uses over the years and became the Mayor’s residence in 1942.

Archiebald Gracie

Archibald Gracie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Gracie

The tour was really interesting and the best part is the tour is free. You have to go to the Gracie Mansion website at www1.nyc.gov/site/gracie/visit to set up a time and tickets. The tour meets only on Monday’s at 10:00am, 11:00am and 5:00pm and lasts one hour.

It is an interesting tour that takes you through the Susan Wagner addition toward the back of the mansion when the former Mayor’s wife added the ballroom, receiving room and the library. The front of the house that we toured was the original part that included the living room, dining room and foyer and the formal stairs to the second floor. We were able to peak outside into the gardens that were in full bloom to see where they were setting up for a luncheon. Our tour went through some of the historical furnishings of the home and the fact that art work from museums in the City were borrowed to decorate the house. It was interesting to listen to the history of the house and its current use and I highly recommend the tour.

After the tour was over, I walked from East 84th Street back to York Avenue and East 69th Street to continue my walk of the neighborhood. I started at the hustle and bustle of hospital zone by Cornell-Weill. I walked the campus from East 68th Street to East 70th Streets to see the hospital. The main building is the most interesting and when you walk into the lobby (hopefully as a visitor), it is quite beautiful for a hospital. Security is running around all over the place so don’t linger long here but take time to walk the garden in the front.

I walked past the hospital zone and walked down East 70th Street towards the park. Around this part of the neighborhood, more college campuses seem to pop of with the New York School of Design and Marymount College having branches here. There are also a lot of small art galleries and museums to choose from and take time to visit them (See my reviews and write ups on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com).

The first gallery I visited was the New York School of Interior Design Gallery at 170 East 70th Street. The gallery is open when the school is open and is free to the public. It had the ‘Senior BFA Thesis Projects’ of the graduate students on display. The seniors were reusing historical buildings for modern use and not only had the full design but all the materials that would be used for the interior.

New York School of Interior Design Gallery.jpg

New York School of Design Galleries at 170 East 70th Street

Technology has changed since we did these projects in the 80’s and 90’s and they are able to make 3D designs that show the finished product. I was floored by the creativity but realized that we had to do more with less twenty years ago. If you get a chance to see the gallery when it is open, take about an hour out to visit it. The show was a treat. Try to visit the gallery when it  is open.

For lunch that afternoon, I tried New Shanghai Restaurant at 1388 Second Avenue between East 71st and East 72nd Streets (See reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). The food here was excellent and attracts quite the crowd at lunchtime.

Shanghai Chinese Restaurant I

Shanghai Chinese Restaurant at 1388 Second Avenue

https://www.allmenus.com/ny/new-york/359936-shanghai/menu/

One afternoon I had the General Tso’s Chicken with egg fried rice and an egg roll with a Coke ($10.44) and the other afternoon I tried the Orange Chicken with egg fried rice and a egg roll with a Coke ($10.44). Both were wonderful and the portion sizes were huge. You will not need dinner after eating here. Both had a sweet and spicy flavor to them  and served with steamed broccoli.

On the corner of Lexington Avenue & East 70th Street are two establishment’s you should not miss that are housed in one of the most picturesque brownstone’s covered with ivy that I have seen in New York City. On the corner at 960 Lexington Avenue is Corrado Bread & Pastry  (See reviews on TripAdvisor & DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). The food here is wonderful, very reasonable and if you can nab one of the seats outside, a true New York experience.

Corrado Breas & Pastry.jpg

Corrado Bread & Pastry at 960 Lexington Avenue

Home

The seats overlook this part of the neighborhood and being around the corner from Hunter College, it attracts a mix of students, tourists and Upper East Side socialites. Their sandwiches are unusual with items like Ham with tomato and truffle butter ($3.50) and Brie and Tomato with truffle butter on a French Baguette ($6.50). The two times I went their for dessert after a meal elsewhere, I tried the Apple Turnover ($4.00), which is loaded with sweet apples in cinnamon in a flaky pastry and one of the their Cheese Puffs ($1.75) which are a type of chewy, cheesy popover. A real treat is their Chocolate Porcupine ($7.00), which is made of layers of chocolate cake and mousse than covered in a chocolate ganache.  The dessert is decorated with a face that smiles at you.

Next door and interesting to visit is Creel & Gow at 131 East 70th (See LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com) for the most unique gifts and decorative objects. They have all sorts of items from all over the globe with bowls from India, throws and pillows from Asia, taxidermy of exotic birds and all sorts of shells layered with silver. I have not seen merchandise like this since my travels abroad. Its a real treat.

creel and gow

Creel & Gow at 131 East 70th Street

From Lexington to Park Avenues on East 70th Street take time to admire the tree lined street with its interesting mix of brownstones and stone townhouses. These blocks in the historic district are what make Manhattan Manhattan. This stretches from East 70th Street to East 71st Street in this side of the neighborhood.

As you walk past Park Avenue, notice the Explorer’s Club building at 46 East 70th Street  with its Gothic looking entrance. This is the home of the Explorer’s Club, which was founded in 1904 and is headquarters in New York City. The club promotes which bonds explorers in good fellowship and promote the work of exploration (The Explorer’s Club history). Membership is by application and invitation only but they do have a Friends group and the club is open once a week on Monday’s Public Lecture Day for touring. Take time though to look at the outside architecture of the building.

Explorer's Club

Explorer’s Club at 40th East 70th Street

https://explorers.org/about/about_the_club

One block down at 725 Park Avenue at East 70th Street is the Asia Society Museum which I visited for a second time. I tried to visit their restaurant but for the second time it was already closed for the day. Since I had seen the upstairs galleries early in the walk of the neighborhood, I toured the gift shop. There are a lot of interesting things to buy at the shop.

Asia Society

The Asian Society Museum at 725 Park Avenue

https://asiasociety.org/

At the end of the block on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 1 East 70th Street is the Frick Collection Museum, who was showing the ‘George Washington’ exhibition. The nicest part of visiting the collection is just walking around the private home of the Frick Family (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com).

The Frick Collection is housed in the former residence of Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919), which was designed by Thomas Hastings and constructed in 1913-14. After Mrs. Frick’s death in 1931, changes and additions to the building were made by the architect John Russell Pope and in 1935 the Collection was opened to the public (Frick Collection pamphlet).

Frick Collection.jpg

The Frick Museum at 1 East 70th Street

https://www.frick.org/

(The Collection preserves the ambiance of Mr. Frick’s private home and visitors are therefore asked to observe regulations necessary for protecting the works of art and their domestic setting: See regulations on site-Frick Collection Pamphlet).

Rounding East 71st Street the next day, I was determined to finish the neighborhood. With so much to do and see you will miss a lot if you keep your eyes glued to a cell phone.

This includes admiring the tree lined blocks between Fifth and Lexington Avenues with the interesting brownstones, stone townhouses and beautiful apartment buildings. When walking down block don’t miss some of the unique little shops that line East 71st Street.

Folly, a gift and decorative shop, at 157 East 71st Street is one store to stop by (See LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com). The shop is tucked into the bottom of a brownstone and has the most welcoming entrance. The owner, Emily Hottensen, could not have been more welcoming to me and her little dog knows his customer service as he will charm you to death.

Folly II

Folly gift store at 157 East 71st Street (Closed 2020)

https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/113

The shelves are lined with stenciled boxes of candy, decorative pillows and lamps, stationary and all sorts of items that would make the perfect host gifts. All I did was rub her dog’s stomach while I was there as he wanted a lot of attention.

Folly.png

Folly

Another nice shop is Cotelac at 983 Lexington Avenue for the latest in French fashions (See LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com). This small chain of French designer clothing has the most interesting designs in coats, dresses and tops all beautifully displayed. They also have nice accessories on the tables toward the middle of the store.

Cotelac.jpg

Cotelac at 983 Lexington Avenue

https://cotelac.us/

I stopped at the Hewitt Gallery of Art on the main campus of  Marymount Manhattan College at 221 East 71st Street (See VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com) to see the ‘Senior Solo Show’ of the MFA students. They displayed their final projects and there was a collection of prints, pictures and oils to view and buy. All the art was on sale, which I had never seen before. The video art by student Corinne Grahn on emotions and the Plus size prints of Brianna Fazio should be seen and these artists watched. The art was very interesting.

Hewitt Gallery.jpg

Hewitt Gallery at 221 East 71st Street

https://www.mmm.edu/departments/art/the-hewitt-gallery-of-art.php

Don’t miss the elegant headquarter of the National Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York at 215-217 East 71st Street. The building was constructed in 1927 and looks like an old mansion. The club runs the Van Cortlandt House in the Bronx for touring.

215 East 71st Street

215-217 East 71st Street The National Society of Colonial Dames

https://www.nscdny.org/

At the Belaire Building at 525 East 71st Street they have a nice sitting area in front of the building with gardens and a fountain that I see the doctors in the hospital use for breaks. It is a nice place to just sit and relax on a hot day, especially one with a lot of walking around.

On my last day in the neighborhood, I went museum hopping. I first started at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 1000 Fifth Avenue (See reviews on TripAdvisor) and did a walking tour of the ‘California Contemporary Artists of the 1970-80’s’ with a long time docent of the museum, Judy. She was explaining the art and how the artists wanted to forge their own path away from the New York artists. She mentioned the video “Whatever happened to my Future” by video artist, Ilene Segalove and I found it very profound, especially to anyone over the age of 35. I have it below to share with the readers.

Metropolitan Museum of Art II

The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 1000 Fifth Avenue

https://www.metmuseum.org/

I also stopped at the Met Breuer (the old Whitney Museum) at 945 Madison Avenue (See review on TripAdvisor) for the last day of the “Like Life Sculpture, Color and the Body” exhibition. The exhibition was described as ‘Seven hundred years of sculpture practice, from the 14th century Europe to the global present that explores the narratives of sculpture in which the artists have sought to replicate the literal, living presence of the human body’. I found some of the funeral looking works to be creepy and some the contemporary statues to be unusual. This exhibition (now closed) was not for everyone.

The last part of the touring took place at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden at 421 East 61st Street (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com). This historic building is one of the last links to 19th century New York and should not be missed.

As I rounded East 72nd Street, my final destination, I stopped at La Crosta Restaurant & Pizzeria at 436 East 72nd Street for lunch (See reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). They have the best lunch specials for $7.00 and their pizza is excellent. I had the penne with Bolognese sauce ( a meat sauce) and the meal was wonderful as usual. They give a very generous portion size, and the sauce is packed with flavor from the rich ground meats they use in their sauce.

La Crosta Pizzeria.jpg

La Crosta Pizza at 426 East 72nd Street (Closed June 2021)

When walking some the blocks again up by the Met on another day, I tried Tri Dim Shanghai at 1378 Third Avenue between East 78th and 79th Streets for their lunch specials (See review on TripAdvisor). There lunch specials are wonderful and very reasonable as well. I had their specialty, Slippery Chicken which is prepared with thinly sliced chicken cooked with ginger, hot pepper and garlic in a brown sauce with spinach. The dish was rich with flavor and the spinach really brought out the flavor of the meat. Their hot & sour soup was really good and make sure to order a side of their Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings $8.00). They are the best!

Tri Dim

Tri-Dim Chinese Restaurant at 1378 Third Avenue

As you can see there is a lot to see and do in this part of the Upper East Side and it will take you several days to explore the area thoroughly. You can’t do this neighborhood in just a day but pick out the blocks you want to visit and check out all the sites mentioned in the blog. You are going to be glad you took the time out to research first.

See read my other Blogs on walking the Lower Part of the Upper East Side:

Day One Hundred and Sixteen: Walking the Streets of the Lower Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7638

Day One Hundred and Twelve: Walking the Avenues of the Lower Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7562

Day One Hundred and Ten: Walking the Borders of the Lower Upper East Side:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7509

Places to Eat:

Flip and Forty Carrots Restaurants at Bloomingdale’s Department Store

Bloomingdale’s

100 3rd Avenue

New York, NY  10023

(212) 705-2993

My review on TripAdvisor:

Flip:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3293428-Reviews-Flip-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3293428-Reviews-Flip-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

40 Carrots:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1995735-Reviews-40_Carrots-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Asian 59 Inc.

207 East 59th Street

New York, NY  10022

(212) 371-4777/1201/8651

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3899941-Reviews-Asian_Eatery-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/876

Corrado Bread & Pastry

960 Lexington Avenue @70th Street

New York, NY  10022

(212) 774-1904

http://www.corradocafeat70th.com

Open: Monday-Friday-7:00am-8:00pm/Saturday- 8:00am-7:00pm/Sunday-8:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1557807-Reviews-Corrado_Bread_Pastry-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/711

John & Tony’s Pizzeria-Trattoria

1097 First Avenue

New York, NY  10065

(212) 371-4965

Email: johnandtonyspizza#gmail.com

Open: Monday-Thursday-10:00am-4:00pm/Friday-10:00am-5:00am/Saturday-11:00am-5:00am/Sunday-11:00am-2:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1082373-Reviews-John_Tony_s_Pizzeria-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Ritz Diner

1133 First Avenue

New York, NY  10065

(212) 319-4993

Open 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d424063-Reviews-Ritz_Diner-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

New Shanghai Restaurant

1388 Second Avenue

New York, NY  10021

(212) 288-8066

Open: Sunday-Saturday-11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3579862-Reviews-Shanghai_Chinese_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/706

Tri Dim Shanghai

1378 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10075

(212) 585-3388

http://www.tridimshanghai.net

Open: Monday-Friday-11:45am-10:00pm/Saturday and Sunday-12:00pm-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d13322870-Reviews-Tri_Dim_Shanghai-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

La Crosta Restaurant & Pizza (Closed June 2021)

436 East 72nd Street

New York, NY 10021

(212) 472-5004

http://www.lacrostapizza.com

Open: Sunday-Saturday-Sunday-11:00am-9:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d2285056-Reviews-La_Crosta_Restaurant_Gourmet_Pizzeria-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/552

Non-Solo Piada

302 West 37th Street

New York, NY  10018

(212) 216-0616

http://www.nonsolopiadanyc.com

Open: Monday-Friday-7:00am -8:00pm/Saturday &- Sunday 8:00am-4:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d11916965-Reviews-Non_Solo_Piada-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/668

Viv Thai

717 9th Avenue

New York, NY  10019

(212) 581-5999

Open: Sunday-Thursday-12:00pm-10:45pm/Saturday-12:00pm-11:45pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3498676-Reviews-VIV_Thai-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Shamas Deli

150 West 38th Street

New York, NY  10018

(212) 302-2296

Open: Call for hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d14197183-Reviews-Shamas_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Fu Xing

273 West 38th Street

New York, NY 10018

(212) 575-6978

Open: Monday-Saturday: 7:00am-9:00pm/Sunday-Closed

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d14037661-Reviews-Fu_Xing-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/149

Things to do:

Gracie Mansion Tour

Carl Schurz Park

88th Street & East End Avenue

New York, NY  10128

(212) 570-4773

Open: Monday’s Only-10:00am, 11:00am & 5:00pm

http://www.nyc.gov/gracietour.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136688-Reviews-Gracie_Mansion-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2182

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2714

Berta and Karl Leubsdorf Gallery

Hunter College Main Campus

132 East 68th Street

New York, NY  10065

leubsdorfgallery.com

Open: Wednesday-Saturday

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

None

My review on VisitingaMuseum:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2139

Hewitt Gallery of Art

Marymount Manhattan College

221 East 71st Street

New York, NY 10021

Open: During special exhibition times

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d106188-Reviews-Cooper_Hewitt_Smithsonian_Design_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2155

New York School of Interior Design Gallery

170 East 70th Street

New York, NY  10021

nysid.edu/icps

Open: When there is a show going on at the school

My review on TripAdvisor:

None

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2160

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden

421 East 61st Street

New York, NY  10065

(212)838-6878

http://www.myhm.org

Open:: Hours depending on time of the year

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d309468-Reviews-Mount_Vernon_Hotel_Museum_Garden-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2191

The Frick Collection

1 East 70th Street

New York, NY  10021

(212) 288-0700

http://www.frick.org

Open: Monday-Saturday-10:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d107466-Reviews-Frick_Collection-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2655

Asia Society Museum

725 Park Avenue

New York, NY  10021

(212) 288-6400

http://www.asiasociety.org/museum

Open: Sunday-Saturday-11:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136164-Reviews-Asia_Society_and_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2110

Roosevelt House

47-49 East 65th Street

New York, NY  10065

(212) 650-3174

http://www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu

Tours: On Saturday only 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm (Check their website for reservations)

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/4434

24 Sycamores Park

501 East 60th Street

New York, NY  10065

(212) 639-9675

Open: 6:00am-9:00pm

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/twenty-four-sycamores-park/history

Andrew Haswell Green Park

East 60th Street & FDR Drive

New York, NY  10022

(212) 639-9675

http://www.nyc.parks.org

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/andrew-haswell-green-park

Stores to Visit:

Folly

157 East 71st Street

New York, NY  10021

(917) 751-7293

http://www.follynewyorkstore.com

Open: Monday-Friday-11:00am-7:00pm/Saturday & Sunday-11:00am-5:00pm

Review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/113

Cotelac

983 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10021

(212) 288-0400

http://www.cotelac.us

Open: Monday-Saturday-10:30am-6:30pm/Sunday-12:00pm-5:00p

My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/101

Creel & Gow

131 East 70th Street (at the corner of Lexington Avenue)

New York, NY  10021

(212) 327-4281

Open:

10:00am-6:00pm-Monday-Saturday/Closed on Sunday

http://www.creelandgow.com/infor@creelandgow.com

Corrado Bread & Pastry

960 Lexington Avenue @70th Street

New York, NY 10021

Phone: (212) 774-1904

Fax: (212) 774-1905

http://www.corradocafeat70th.com

Hours: Monday-Friday-7:00am-8:00pm/Saturday-8:00am-7:00pm/Sunday-8:00am-6:00pm

*Prices are subject to change/Cakes of any size can be made to order, some items require 48 hours.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1557807-Reviews-Corrado_Bread_and_Pastry-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Society of Illustrators

128 East 63rd Street

New York, NY  10065

(212) 838-2560

Open: Sunday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 11:00am-5:00pm

Admission:  Adults $15.00/ Seniors and Students $10.00/Members and Children under 10 Free/US Veterans and Disabled Patrons Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d136147-Reviews-Society_of_Illustrators-New_York_City_New_York.html

Places to stay:

Marriott Fairfield Inn

29-27 40th Street

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718) 482-0100

http://www.marriott.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g48080-d1027681-Reviews-Fairfield_Inn_New_York_Long_Island_City_Manhattan_View-Long_Island_City_Queens_New_York.html?m=19905

Met Lecture on California Contemporary Artists by Docent Judy Bloom discussed Ms. Segalove’s video, which is brilliant. I wanted to share this with the readers.

Video Artist Ilene Segalove’s Video: “What ever happened to my Future”

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2 thoughts on “Day One Hundred and Sixteen: Walking the Streets of the lower part of the Upper East Side from East 72nd to East 59th Streets June 3rd-August 10th, 2018

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